An Oklahoma legislator is proposing a measure that would protect churches from lawsuits if someone is injured when they open their doors as disaster shelters.

On Friday, state Rep. Bobby Cleveland of Slaughterville proffered a bill that would protect churches and nonprofits if they take in people displaced by a tornado or other disaster.

Cleveland told Oklahoma City television station KWTV that he wants to provide an incentive for more entities to help.

Cleveland says the protection would be similar to what doctors and nurses have if they stop to help an accident victim.

After the catastrophic Moore tornado in May, many churches offered shelter, space for food distribution and staging grounds. Cleveland says many pastors didn’t know they could be held liable if something went wrong.

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